About 6 o'clock, last evening the case against Augustina De Pompa was submitted to the jury. At 8 o'clock they reported a verdict of not guilty.
In December last De Pompa struck Edward Slavin on the head with a hammer, breaking the skull, from the effects of which he injury died in about ten days. The blow was struck during a melee on the corner of Seventh and Cherry streets, in which those implicated were Augustina De Pompa, Sam Coppola, Paul Tucci, John Harney, Edward Slavin, Gabrill Duval and one or two other parties. Besides these a large crowd had gathered and witnessed the affair, some at a distance. The preliminary hearing was before Justice Johnson on January 3d. Mr. J.K. Macomber, county attorney, appearing for the State and Wm. and Walter McHenry for the defense. The case was ably handled by both sides and resulted in the release of Tucci and Cappola and the holding of De Pompa on the charge of murder.
The trial of De Pompa began in the District court January 15th and lasted two days. On the evening of January 17th the jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter. The defense succeeded in preventing conviction as charged in the indictment by showing the quarrelsome character of Slavin, the murdered man; and his companion, Harney. The following Monday an argument was made for a new trial on the grounds that additional evidence favorable to the prisoner had been discovered. The motion was granted. The last trial began on Wednesday and proceeded in the main on the same lines as the first one, the defense taking the same grounds, that of self defense. The McHenry's brought out every scrap of evidence which could be used in favor of their client and used it to the best advantage. County Attorney Macomber conducted the prosecution in an able manner. Judge Bishop's instructions to the jury were fair and impartial.
Daily Iowa Capitol (Des Moines, Iowa), May 4, 1889.
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